Integrally molded die and bezel structure for fingerprint sensors and the like

• US 8,772,884 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2013
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bond, Robert Henry, Kramer, Alan, Gozzini, Giovanni
• Primary Examiner(s): POTTER, ROY KARL
• Application Number:
  US13/960,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20130320464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 336 Days
• Field of Search: 257/415, 257/688, 257/787, 257/E23.129, 382/124, 438/106, 438/127
• US Class Current: 257/415
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1329 Protecting the fingerprint sensor against damage caused by the finger
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 39/00 Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive element covered by groups H10N30/00 – H10N35/00

Abstract

A biometric sensor device, such as a fingerprint sensor, comprises a substrate to which is mounted a die on which is formed a sensor array and at least one conductive bezel. The die and the bezel are encased in a unitary encapsulation structure to protect those elements from mechanical, electrical, and environmental damage, yet with a portion of the sensor array and the bezel exposed or at most thinly covered by the encapsulation or other coating material structure.

Claims

1. A fingerprint sensor device, comprising:

a substrate;

a die comprising fingerprint sensing circuitry and being secured to said substrate;

a first conductive bezel secured to said substrate adjacent said die; and

an encapsulation structure integrally encasing at least a portion of said die and a portion of said first conductive bezel;

said die including a top surface configured to be electrically coupled with a fingertip;

said first conductive bezel including a top surface positioned with respect to the top surface of said die and configured to be electrically coupled with the fingertip.

2. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein said encapsulation structure partially encases said first conductive bezel such that at least the top surface of said first conductive bezel is not encased therewith.

3. The fingerprint sensor of claim 2, wherein said fingerprint sensing circuitry comprises a sensor array for sensing a fingerprint pattern of a user, and wherein said encapsulation structure partially encases said die such that said sensor array is uncovered and exposed for physical contact.

4. The fingerprint sensor of claim 3, wherein said sensor array defines a component of a fingerprint strip sensor.

5. The fingerprint sensor of claim 3, wherein said sensor array defines a component of a fingerprint area sensor.

6. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein said encapsulation structure fully encases said die and first conductive bezel such that the top surface of each of said die and said first conductive bezel are encased by a portion of said encapsulation structure which is relatively thinner than the remainder of said encapsulation structure.

7. The fingerprint sensor of claim 6, wherein said fingerprint sensing circuitry comprises a sensor array for capacitively sensing a fingerprint pattern of a user, and wherein said encapsulation structure encases said die such that said sensor array is thinly encased by said encapsulation structure such that the thickness of said encapsulation structure over said sensor array does not reduce the sensitivity of the sensor array in a manner that substantially prevents the possibility of said sensor array to capacitively sense a fingerprint of a finger in physical contact with said encapsulation structure over said sensor array.

8. The fingerprint sensor of claim 7, wherein said sensor array defines a component of a fingerprint strip sensor.

9. The fingerprint sensor of claim 7, wherein said sensor array defines a component of a fingerprint area sensor.

10. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a second conductive bezel secured to said substrate;

wherein said encapsulation structure further integrally encases at least a portion of said second conductive bezel with said die and said first conductive bezel.

11. The fingerprint sensor of claim 10, wherein said first conductive bezel and said second conductive bezel define portions of a bezel frame, and further wherein said bezel frame is physically coupled to said substrate.

12. The fingerprint sensor of claim 11, wherein said bezel frame is electrically coupled to said die by way of said substrate.

13. The fingerprint sensor of claim 12, wherein said bezel frame defines an opening in which said die is located such that said die is surrounded by said bezel frame.

14. The fingerprint sensor of claim 1, wherein said first conductive bezel is electrically coupled to said die by way of said substrate.

15. A fingerprint sensor assembly comprising:

a substrate;

a die comprising a fingerprint sensing array and secured to said substrate;

a first conductive bezel secured to said substrate adjacent said die;

a second conductive bezel secured to said substrate adjacent said die such that said die is between said first and second conductive bezels; and

an encapsulation structure integrally encapsulating said die, said first conductive bezel, and said second conductive bezel, such that said fingerprint sensing array and at least a portion of a top surface of each of said first conductive bezel and said second conductive bezel are configured to be electrically coupled with a fingertip.

16. The fingerprint sensor assembly of claim 15, wherein said first conductive bezel and said second conductive bezel are each electrically coupled to said die by way of said substrate.

17. The fingerprint sensor assembly of claim 15, wherein said encapsulation structure partially encases said die such that said fingerprint sensing array is uncovered and exposed for physical contact.

18. The fingerprint sensor assembly of claim 17, wherein said fingerprint sensing array defines a component of a fingerprint strip sensor.

19. The fingerprint sensor of claim 17, wherein said fingerprint sensing array defines a component of a fingerprint area sensor.

20. The fingerprint sensor assembly of claim 15, wherein said first conductive bezel and said second conductive bezel define portions of a bezel frame physically coupled to said substrate.

21. The fingerprint sensor assembly of claim 20, wherein said bezel frame is electrically coupled to said die by way of said substrate.

22. The fingerprint sensor assembly of claim 21, wherein said bezel frame defines an opening in which said die is located such that said die is surrounded by said bezel frame.

23. A method of making a fingerprint sensor device, the method comprising:

securing a die comprising fingerprint sensing circuitry to a substrate;

securing a first conductive bezel to said substrate adjacent said die; and

integrally encasing at least a portion of said die and a portion of said first conductive bezel with an encapsulation structure;

said die including a top surface configured to be electrically coupled with a fingertip;

said first conductive bezel including a top surface positioned with respect to the top surface of said die and configured to be electrically coupled with the fingertip.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said encapsulation structure partially encases said first conductive bezel such that at least the top surface of said first conductive bezel is not encased therewith.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said fingerprint sensing circuitry comprises a sensor array for sensing a fingerprint pattern of a user, and wherein said encapsulation structure partially encases said die such that said sensor array is uncovered and exposed for physical contact.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said sensor array defines a component of a fingerprint strip sensor.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said sensor array defines a component of a fingerprint area sensor.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

securing a second conductive bezel to said substrate;

wherein said encapsulation structure further integrally encases at least a portion of said second conductive bezel with said die and said first conductive bezel.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said first conductive bezel and said second conductive bezel define portions of a bezel frame, and further wherein said bezel frame is physically coupled to said substrate.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said bezel frame is electrically coupled to said die by way of said substrate.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said bezel frame defines an opening in which said die is located such that said die is surrounded by said bezel frame.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein said first conductive bezel is electrically coupled to said die by way of said substrate.